National (U.S.)

"Sam Hamilton, the director of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, died Saturday after suffering chest pains at a ski resort in Colorado, officials announced."

"Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack urged Congress on Thursday to reinstate the $1 a gallon biodiesel tax credit, calling it "an important credit" and "a support mechanism" for renewable fuels."

"A last-ditch attempt at passing a climate change bill begins in the Senate this week with senators mindful that time is running short and that approaches to the legislation still vary widely, according to sources."

"A North Carolina congressman said Thursday that he wants an investigation into reports that levels of a cancer-causing chemical in tap water at a Marine Corps base were downplayed and then omitted from official documents."

"State and federal officials were, at one point, looking at almost a complete loss of support from Asarco for projects to clean up contaminated sites. Then, a dramatic recovery of copper prices lead to benefits for Tacoma, Everett, and elsewhere in the state."

"The U.S. House Energy and Commerce Committee said on Thursday it was investigating the potential impact of hydraulic fracturing on the environment and human health."

"A century-old fight about water from Oregon's Klamath Basin ended Thursday with signed agreements that assure farmers water and power to keep their crops green, and lay out the removal of dams that have blocked salmon from hundreds of miles of spawning grounds."

"The Interior Department is beefing up efforts to ensure companies are paying the royalties they owe from producing energy on federal lands."

"A new Office of Sustainable Communities is being created within the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to help communities take an integrated approach to making environmental, housing and transportation decisions."